Welcome to Better Know An Umpire, an effort to educate ourselves on the human elements who have ultimate decision-making power over some 2,500 Major League Baseball games a year. (All cumulative statistics are through the 2011 season, unless otherwise stated.)

Brian Runge keeps getting tougher on hitters. ... If his K/BB goes much higher, pitchers will be able to throw to the on-deck circle and get a strike. ... Despite his enormous strike zone, Runge's R/9 is average. ... Runge's career ejection rate is a remarkably low 0.7 percent.

Unreal. Most critical game in the past 26 years and a fat fuck that hasn't touched a girl in his life named Brian Runge wants to fuck around with the zone and stroke his fucking pussy ass ego in a big game like this.

The players test you. You fall into a thing where a young umpire has to prove himself. You have to be a little more aggressive, but you have to be smart about it at the same time. My feeling is, if I show the players respect, they'll respect me. If they see I'm out there working hard, if I'm busting my tail night after night, they'll be a little more forgiving if I kick one. Not a lot and not all of the time, but they'll let it go a little quicker.